1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for loading a large missile into a canister and for unloading it therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large missile such as the Small Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (SICBM) includes a booster assembly with a guidance system and a warhead placed on top. The booster assembly generally comprises first, second and third solid propellant missile stages. Practical considerations dictate having the missile operational or launching site at a location remote from the place of manufacture and assembly of the booster assembly. This presents a problem particularly in respect of limiting to 2G's the lateral loads to which the booster assembly may be safely subjected during transportation thereof to the operational site.
In order to attenuate such lateral loads, the booster assembly requires lateral support pads between the booster assembly and the inside walls of the canister. Such pads have been made from semi-solid material, specifically, rubber with an internal honeycomb structure and are only slightly compressible. As a consequence, the method employed in the prior art to install the booster assembly of a large missile in a canister or to remove the booster assembly therefrom is with the canister in a vertical position.
Vertical loading and unloading of a missile booster assembly into or from, respectively, a canister is disadvantageous in that such loading requires additional facilities such as buildings, cranes and loading pits. Such facilities are costly. Thus, where such facilities are not already available there is a need and a demand for a viable alternative to vertical loading and unloading of missile booster assemblies into and from canisters in order that a considerable cost saving may be realized.